Well apparatus



WELL APPARATUS Filed June 29. 1921 A TTORNE Y.

Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES KENNETH D. FULLER, OF WHITTIER, CALIFORNLA.

WELL APPARATUS.

Application filed June 29, 1921. Serial no. 481,420.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNETH D. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Whittier, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Well Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to well apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus incident to the operation and handling of piping casing, tubing and the like used in the drilling and operation of oil and other deep wells. In such practices, devices known as slips are utilized in connection with rotary tables, spiders and other structures, such slips being used in wedge action, between the tubing, piping casing or the like, and the wall of the turn-table, spider or other structure.

In using such slips, and particularly in the heavy service to which they are subjected in deep well drilling, and particularly in the making up and breaking up of strings of tubing used in rotary drilling procedure, the slips tend to sticker j amb in their wedge positions, causing difiiculty in their release from operative positions, and also tending to mar or fracture the tubular element to which they are applied under imposition of heavy strain, as may occur, for instance, upon the breaking or failure of the elevator or other device used in hoisting and lowering the string of tubular elements. The present invention is particularly directed at improvements in the spider structure which will avoid these objections and provide a slip action which will be much more responsive to conditions to be met with in service, the slip being rendered more adaptable to various conditions of this sort, and being more readily put into and removed from position of service. The invention also relates to such a slip provided with improved means for handling the same in putting it into and out of working relation with respect to the turn-table, spider or other structure and the tubular element or other work.

The invention has for further objects, the provision of improved well apparatus of the general character stated, which will be superior in point of general etficiency and serviceability, taken 1n conjunction with simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction, positiveness in operation, definiteness in handling, durability and general adaptability to various conditions of use and service.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, combination, association and interrelation of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, of well ap aratus constructed and organized to em ody the invention inone form;

Figure 2 is a. fragmentary topplan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view u on an enlarged scale of one of the slips shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig- 1 ure 3; and

Figure 5 is a rear face view of the slip shown in the other figures, a part being omitted.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity ,to the drawing, I have shown the improved slip ele ment or member A of the invention as combined for use, and positioned in conjunction with a turn-table or rotary table top B within the central opening in which is fitted a bushing 72 resting upon the turn-table or table-top. The tubular elements, such as tubing, piping or casing, are designated, or a portion of one of same is des1gnated, at C, it being understood that in rotary drilling practice [such tubing is assembled in a string and lowered downward through the turn-table, the string being provided at its lower end with a fish-tail or other bit for performing the boring operation. Such strings require frequent breaking up for purposes of bit sharpening, etc., and the slips are used to hold the tubular elements or joints or sections of tubing and support the same by means of the bushing b and turn-table B during the making up and breaking up of the string. The turn-table is shown as rotatably supported upon a base D by means of suitably confined antifriction devices 7. The turn-table is driven by a drive pinion 8 meshing with a circular rack 9 on the under face of the turn-table,

Each of the slips A is segmental in form and preferably tapers downwardly in both directions to produce a wedge formation, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5, taken together. The wedges are formed to be applied in a circular series, as shown in Figure 2, three such wedges bein shown in Figure 2, each approximately taking up 120 degrees of the circle in which they are positioned.

The inner curved faces of the slips are provided with teeth or serrations 9, and the rear faces, instead of being unbroken or smooth, are chambered out at each side, as at 10, in such manner as to provide a substantially vertical bearing face 10*, two lateral top bearing faces 10", two lateral bottom bearing faces, 10, and two side bearing faces 10. Transversely of each of the chambers 10 is provided a substantially media-n strengthening web or rib 10. All of the faces 10, 10", 10, and 10 are fiush with and constitute the rear curved surface of the slip A, the webs 10 lying slightly inward of such surface; The inner serrated slip surface 9 is curved-concentrically with the rear slip surface made up of the several curved bearing faces described.

In order to provide means for conveniently and effectively handling the slips A, as in putting them into and withdrawing them from working positions, each slip is chambered at its top and at the rear, as at 11, and a transverse pin 12 is set into such chamber substantially midway thereof, its ends be ing held in position by blocks 13 which are welded into chambers, as clearly shown in Figure 3, the ends of the pin 12 resting upon suitableshoulders 14 in the chamber. A hand grip or handle 15 is provided, the same having a shank portion 16, the free endof which is laterally enlar ed and hooked about the pin 12', as at 17, 1n a connection that permits the handle to swing upon the .pin 12, into lowered position, projecting rearwardly of'the slip as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or into raised position whereby it may be manipulated to handle, raise or lower the respective slip. When in depressed position the handle rests upon a stop or .shoulder 18, at its shank, the handle thus being positioned in projection rearward of the slip so that it may readily grasp and swing upwardly into position of service. In

the use of the features constituting the invention, the improved slip may readily be handled by the pivotally mounted hand grip 15, in transporting the slip to the table or to its position for service, or removing it therefrom. The rear face or face portions 10, 10 10", and 10",have preferably a total facial area which is less .than the facial area of the serrations or inner serrated face 9. It results that such rearward faceor rearward surface portions offer less fricsired.

tional resistance to the inner inclined face 6 of the bushing b, or other surface to which they are applied, than the serrated face 9 offers to the tubular element C. Therefore in putting the slip into place, the rear surface or surface portions tends or tend to lead the serrated face in wedging action, enabling the slip to be depressed or forced downwardly or inwardly or home to the greatest possible degree permitted by the movement of the serrations 9 over the surface of the work. If, during service, an unusually heavy weight is imposed upon the tubular element, as by the breakage of the elevator, hook or other part or parts used in handling the tubular element or string or assemblage thereof, the slip, instead of binding and sticking within the bushing or other associated element, accompanied by material drop of the tubular element and of fracture or injury thereof, will permit a further wedging action, because of the relatively lesser frictional resistance at the back surfaces of the same, this in turn being accompanied by a tighter and more effective grip or bite of the slip upon the work. Thus, a tendency of the work to fall will be immediately met by a responsive slip action tending to more effectively and positively support the work, but this action will be accompanied by a slight accommodation of the lowering tendency of the work coincident with the moment of such further wedging action. A flexibility is thus introduced into the relation between the work and the slip and the table and its bushing and other support, the heavy strain incident to a tendency of the work to drop, being met and arrested during the slight descent of the slips or their movement into a more positive wed ing relation. Likewise, and conversely, w en it is desired to move the work upwardly or release it from wedging relation, the slips readily free themselves from their frictional and load-imparting engagement with the bushing 6 or other support due to the relatively small surface at the rear of the slips which is in engagement with-the bushing or other support. The wedges therefore are quickly freed from their pinched or wedged condition permitting the work' to be raised as de- Lowering of the work, or of other work, will again be accompanied by a tight and sure wedging action of the slips and a.

resultant support of the work, subject to all the advantages of increased effectiveness of wedgin relation in case of a tendency of the wor to slip and fall, as above described, or in case of imposition of extra strain upon the work from any cause whatsoever.

The chambering out of the slips at their rear portions as at 10, results ina savin of and likewise in a lightening of the s 'ps, making them more easy and convenient to handle, At the same time, the remaining wall portions terminating in the rearward surface described,'and particularly in conjunction with the strengthening webs insure the necessai strength and durability for the heavy service to which these devices are subjected.

It will be understood that when the tubular element C or a string of same are to be rotated by the turn-table B, suitable interlocking means are provided between the turn-table and the string (the same not being shown) and whereby the string may be rotated in the boring or drilling operation carried on, through the actuation of the drive pinion 8, and rack 9. The substantially vertical web or surface portion 10 provides a bearing surface through the agency of which the slip may readily be adjusted vertically in introducing it into position of service or withdrawing it from such position.

- It will be obvious that various changes and modifications with respect to the details and features of construction and mode of application and use, may be made in departure from the disclosure of the foregoing description and the drawing, without departin from the true spirit of the invention.

aving thus disclosed my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent:

1. In well apparatus, a wedge-shaped slip having an inner serrated face and an outer face the superficial area of which is less than that of the inner serrated face; said outer face being composed ofconnected facial portions marginally disposed with respect to chambered portions; said chambered portions being separated by a facial portion.

2. In well apparatus, a wedge-shaped slip having an inner serrated face and an outer face the superficial area of which is less than that of the inner serrated face; said outer face being composed of connected facial portions marginally disposed with respect to chambered portions; said chambered portions being separated by a facial portion; transverse strengthening webs being provided Within said chambered portions.

3. In well apparatus, a slip of the character disclosed, having a pivoted handle member; said slip being chambered at its top and rear portion, a pin being provided athwart said chamber, and said handle member being pivotally mounted upon said pin.

4. In well apparatus, a slip of the character disclosed, having apivoted handle member; said slip being chambered at its top and rear portion, a pin being provided athwart said chamber, and said handle member being pivotally mounted upon said pin; the slip being provided'with a shoulder or stop for said handle member when the same is in depressed positions. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KENNETH n. FULLER.

Witnesses SADIE J FULLER, M. ETHEL ANDREWS. 

